1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electrical connector that includes a male connector part and a female connector part. More particularly the invention relates to an electrical connector that possesses sensing means able to sense the mated state of the two parts.
2. Related Art
Electrical connectors including a male connector part and a female connector part are generally provided with latching means to prevent the two parts from suddenly coming apart when coupled. However, it sometimes happens that during mating of the two parts, their contact pins become electrically coupled to each other with the parts in, for example, a semi-mated state. In such a case the two parts will be mated without their coupling being locked by the latching means, so that during use the two parts may suddenly come apart. Accordingly, some electrical connectors are provided with sensing means able to sense the mated state, in order to prevent such coupling in a semi-mated state (see, for example, JP-2004-63090-A).
The electrical connector set forth in JP-2004-63090-A has a pair of first and second connector parts 100 and 130 that mate together, the first part 100 being provided with a sensing member 120, as shown in FIG. 13. Inside the housing 101 of this first part 100 there is formed a receiving hole 102 for receiving a plurality of female pin metals. Provided on the top of the outside of this housing 101 is a flat locking arm 103 that is parallel with the mating direction of the two parts 100, 130. This locking arm 103 rises up from the front top edge of the housing 101, and extends cantilever-like toward the rear, almost parallel to the top surface of the housing 101 with a particular spacing therefrom, in such a manner as to be flexible in the vertical direction. Provided on the bottom surface of the locking arm 103, that is, the inner surface that faces the top surface of the housing 101, are a pair of latching protrusions 104F and 104R into which a flexible latching piece 121 included in the sensing member 120 latches. Further, the sensing member 120 has a guide portion 122, the flexible latching piece 121 that extends outward from the guide portion 122, and a gripping portion 123 that rises upward from the rear edge portion of the guide portion 122.
The sensing member 120 is able, in the state where the bottom surface of its guide portion 122 is in contact with the top surface of the housing 101 and at least its front end portion is held between the housing 101 and the locking arm 103, to move back and forth between a standby position and a sensing position forward of the standby position. Thanks to this structure, a semi-mated state can be sensed by moving the sensing member during mating of the first and second parts.
Similarly, in Patent Publication Nos. WO2004/109866 and WO2004/095642, electrical connectors are set forth in which a locking arm possessing resilience is provided integrally with the top surface of the housing, locking protrusions are formed on the outer surface thereof, engaging protrusions are formed on the bottom surface, and a sensing member (CPA) is inserted into the locking arm's gap.
In each of the electrical connectors set forth in JP-2004-63090-A and Patent Publication Nos. WO2004/109866 and WO2004/095642, a locking arm possessing flexibility is provided integrally on the top surface of the housing, locking protrusions are formed on the outer surface thereof, latching protrusions are formed on the bottom surface, and a sensing member (CPA) is inserted into the gap between the locking arm and the housing's top surface. This means that the locking arm that is flexible enough for insertion of the CPA must be molded integrally with the housing's top surface. As a result, the shape of the housing is complex, the mold for its fabrication is complex, and the molding process is troublesome. Also, since the locking arm is molded integrally with the housing, the housing's outer dimensions are large, which means that the connector is large-size. Further, there are several other problems. One is that since the structure allows the sensing member to be inserted into the gap between the locking arm and the top surface of the housing even when the electrical connector is not mated together, and hence to be operated with the electrical connector in the unmated state, there is danger of erroneous operation. Another is that when the sensing member is inserted into the gap between the locking arm and the top surface of the housing in the unmated state, the CPA cannot be released without using a special tool.